Established in 1969, the Nashville Film Festivals (NaFF) rolls out the red carpet for its 45th year on April 17. This year’s festival will run through April 26, expanding its typical 7-day stretch to 10 days. The move, in part no doubt, bolstered by the record-breaking number of entries submitted to this year’s festival.
“In five years we’ve doubled the call,” said Brian Owens, artistic director in an email. “We can attribute it to NaFF’s reputation among filmmakers as one of the best festivals to get into in the world, and Nashville’s reputation as one of the world’s best cities to visit.”
Stepping into new territory for 2014, NaFF also announced an inaugural Screenwriting Competition. The competition drew more than 1,500 over three divisions. “We are proud that so many screenwriters entered – but even more proud of the quality of scripts we received,” said Ted Crockett, Executive Director, in an email.
NaFF is known for its line-up of films as diverse as Nashville filmgoers and this year’s festival selections continue the tradition of presenting a wide variety of LGBT-themed films—including Opening Night documentary The Case Against 8. Here is a summary of this year’s LGBT-themed films:
Beautiful Jim
Director: Rex Jones. USA. 53 minutes
The story of an HIV-positive singer-songwriter's triumph over AIDS. Jimbeau Hinson ('Fancy Free', 'Party Crowd') is a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter living in Nashville, Tennessee who has been HIV-positive for over thirty years. He was also the first openly bisexual singer/songwriter in country music.
Boulevard
Director: Dito Montiel. USA. 100 minutes
Nolan Mack (Robin Williams) is a soft-spoken guy who undoubtedly loves his wife. But he finds himself drifting from his familiar life after meeting a troubled young man named Leo. What begins as an aimless drive down an unfamiliar street turns into a series of life-altering events. This is the Southeastern US premiere and was filmed in Nashville, TN.
The Case Against 8
Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White. USA. 112 minutes
Shot over five years, this behind-the-scenes look at the case against California’s Proposition 8, follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. The film won the Audience Award in the Festival Favorites category at this year’s SXSW.
Kidnapped for Christ
Director: Kate S. Logan. USA / Dominican Republic. 85 minutes
Film student Kate Logan heard about Escuela Caribe and thought she would make a documentary about its inspiring work. Instead, she discovered good kids being subjected to questionable therapies, hard labor and degrading humiliations.
Test
Director: Chris Mason Johnson. USA. 89 minutes
San Francisco, 1985. Two opposites attract at a modern dance company. Together, their courage and resilience are tested as they navigate a world full of risks and promise, against the backdrop of a disease no one seems to know anything about.
Vic + Flo Saw a Bear
Director: Denis Côté. Canada. 95 minutes
Winner 2013 Silver Bear (Alfred Bauer Prize) Berlin International Film Festival. _Vic + Flow Saw a Bear_ is a darkly mysterious tale of lesbian two ex-cons, Victoria and Florence, trying to make a new life in the backwoods of Quebec. Seeking peace and quiet, the couple slowly begins to feel under siege as Vic’s parole officer keeps unexpectedly popping up and a strange neighborhood woman turns out to be a menacing presence from Flo’s past.
Tickets for the 45th Nashville Film Festival are scheduled to go on sale Monday April 7. For more information, including a ‘How to Fest’ FAQ, visit nashvillefilmfestival.org